Module 2: Succession Planning - Looking forward

One of the most challenging areas for regional event teams is setting up their event to exist without them personally. If you want your event to have a future beyond your involvement, and for your stress levels of the team to be reduced it is important to have a vision, plan and clear documentation and systems.   


Outcomes

  • Understand the importance of forward planning and having a strategic roadmap for your event  

  • Gain insights into how to measure success and why celebrating successes is important 

  • Develop sound plans and processes so the committee does not have to recreate planning documentation each year  

  • Reduce double handling and duplication with a clear committee structure and roles and responsibilities that link into the planning timeline  

  • Better ability to recruit to the event team  
     

Lessons

Lesson 1: How to create your strategic business plan 

By the end of Lesson One you will have the big picture complete with all the key elements in place for your event’s strategic plan. You will know what it is that sets you apart from other events, and you will have set a clear vision and achievable and measurable goals for the road ahead. 

Lesson 2: Stop overloading your mind; it's time to document! 

By the end of Lesson Two you will understand why it is important to document a planning timeline for your event, and you will have a template so you can develop a 12-month timeline. This will become your roadmap for event planning.

Lesson 3: Is your team driving the same bus? 

By the end of Lesson Three you will understand how and why there is a need to form an effective and cohesive event committee. You will have the tools to set up an efficient committee structure, and templates to assist with developing clear roles for each committee member.

 

Each lesson includes 

  • Online on-demand pre-recorded training video 

  • Supporting resources, tools and templates to help you action learnings 

  • Successful case studies and examples to highlight how others do this well

  • Links to further supporting readings, podcasts and blog articles to extend your knowledge 

  • Access to Q&A forum to allow further discussion on the topic 

 

Resources

  • Strategic Planning Template

  • Committee Structure & Responsibilities Template

  • Planning Timeline Template

  • Event Management Planning Quick Checklist Template

  • Meeting Minutes Template

 

Case Study

Calgary Stampede, Calgary, Canada

The value of strategic event planning.jpg

INTERVIEW WITH CEO VERN KIMBALL

The Calgary Stampede is a not-for-profit community organization that preserves and celebrates western heritage, cultures and community spirit.

Delivered by over 2,300 passionate volunteers, the year-round events, programs and initiatives invest in youth, support agricultural programs, and make a lasting economic impact on the city.

Each year, Stampede Park hosts over 1,200 business, tourism, sporting, hospitality and community events and welcomes more than two million guests. These year-round events create thousands of jobs and contribute more than $400 million to the local economy. 

This case study explores the process of the Calgary Stampede recent renewal.

 

We were prepared to muddle through and have a crack at coordinating an event but there’s no doubt that with Linda’s expert help the end product was superior to what it would have been had we pushed through by ourselves.

- Kathryn Stevens, Event Coordinator, Kingaroy BaconFest

 

Fee

$150 + $15 GST for an individual or an event committee

Linda Tillman